1. Technical Field
The following description relates to one or more techniques to adjust image quality of an image to be formed on a sheet based on information regarding the density of a test pattern.
2. Related Art
An image forming device (such as a laser printer) has been known, which is configured to form, on a sheet, an image based on image data received from an external device such as a personal computer operated by a user.
In addition, as a method for adjusting image quality of an image formed on a sheet by an image forming device, a calibration operation has been known in which test pattern data (commonly known as patch data) is provided to the image forming device, and a test pattern based on the test pattern data is formed on a sheet by the image forming device, and the image quality is adjusted through optically scanning the density of the test pattern (for example, see Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. HEI9-258939).
Such a calibration operation is repeatedly performed in an image forming device (such as a laser printer) with predetermined frequency to prevent deterioration of the image quality. For example, in the known image forming device, the calibration operation is performed each time a predetermined time period has elapsed or each time a predetermined number of sheets are printed. Furthermore, since input/output (I/O) characteristics of the image forming device vary depending on temperature and/or humidity, so far the calibration operation has been carried out in response to changes in the environment.